Indirect Hotwater Issue?

mcguirehg · Post by **mcguirehg** » Fri. Jun. 27, 2014 9:50 pm

We switched to the oil burner for the hotwater with the indirect. When we switched to the oil it's taking a long time to get hot water to the shower, about 10 min. Do I need to make an adjustment? Dan

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 6:48 am

Do you have a tankless coil in the EFM that is still in use?

What are the aquastat settings on the oil boiler?

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 8:26 am

When switching to oil is there valve switching involved...or just a flip of a electric switch?
You wouldn't want to heat the coal boiler water with the oil at the same time as heating the indirect water.

mcguirehg · Post by **mcguirehg** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 8:37 am

The EFM does still have a tankless. the oil is set at 150 low and 160 high...thoughts?

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 9:09 am

The switchover would let you turn off one of the valves to or from the tankless coil in the EFM. You do not need to turn them both off (feed and supply to the indirect. One has to be turned off to stop the migration path through the coal boiler. When running on coal it makes no difference, but the boiler only needs to heat the indirect and be available for house demand, if any.. I'd trace the flow path and look for the valves to the tankless coil in the EFM and only turn off one side. Try that first. Also, remember that this time of year if domestic is not required much, the piping will cool down, and it might take a couple minutes to warm it up. Look at the piping and get back to us.

mcguirehg · Post by **mcguirehg** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 5:48 pm

The pipes going directly into the coil of the EFM go back towards the mixing valve. There is no shut off. However, the pipe going into the top of the EFM (feed?) and the boiler drain have shut off valves. I have the feed of the EFM in the off position as suggested after the install. When I had the EFM hooked up a few weeks ago the direct produced hw instantly. After running the oil this is not the case when showers first start. This maybe just how it is? Thanks Dan

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Jun. 28, 2014 9:03 pm

Either the water in the indirect is hot, or it is not. have someone turn on the hot water in the morning while you *lightly* feel the outlet pipe on the indirect.

You do not want water flowing through the EFM in the summer. Closing the valve on just the feed is good, it keeps the boiler pressurized via the return and prevents flow.

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Sun. Jun. 29, 2014 11:04 am

I'll bet there is a shut off valve or valves on the lines to and from the tankless coil in the EFM. Look on the two lines that feed cold to the tankless coil in the EFM only. If there are two, just shut off one of them.

The oil boiler does not need to contribute to the coal boiler in the situation you are talking about. The oil boiler will keep the Indirect Tank at the set temp on the indirect tank, and provide heat to the home if required.
Make sure there is not a pipe hiding the valve, or valves, and look carefully if that is a tight installation. You only want to be dealing with the two lines to the tankless coil, not the indirect piping. You hot water should be at the faucets after a brief warm up to the piping. Are the fixtures quite a distance from the indirect? Pex warms quicker than copper, but that should not take more than 1 minute, not ten. It must be sending water through the tankless coil in the EFM before sending it out to the fixtures. I'm sure you must have a tempering valve, however if it does produce the correct temps after the warm-up, I'm still thinking it is an unrestricted floe through the tankless coil.